Anyone else on here doesn't count calories?

thickspo91

This time around I chose not to count calories and just make the best choices food wise. It has been a relief to see results without a disordered way of eating. Counting calories made me so obsessed with food (I know it's different for everyone). I feel so free without it. I went to the doctor the other day and all my blood work came back A ok, so I know this method is working for me.

specsaverchick

i think if you are sensible with your portions then you shouldnt need to count them. Great job as i hate doing it i find it so time consuming...

livingleanlivingclean

If I wasn't counting calories, I wouldn't be wasting my time on a calorie counting website...

rybo

I don't count. I tracked a few months when I first came here many many years ago. It was very helpful at the time to get a handle on things. But after that I didn't see the point or need to track any longer. I still come here because I'm a geek that likes to talk about diet & exercise

sardelsa

I don't really track anymore. Sometimes I will log a day or two or a meal to get an idea of the macros or cals, otherwise I'm just here for the party.

accidentalpancake

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

If I wasn't counting calories, I wouldn't be wasting my time on a calorie counting website...

Might I suggest you browse around the help page to learn the myriad other functions of the site?

https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/

accidentalpancake

I obviously see my calorie counts as a result of logging, but they're inconsequential. I'm more interested in macros and long-term trends.

rainbow198

I use a written food journal to plan and track my meals and I am aware of the calories I eat, but I don't log here. And yes, I find it freeing too.

I lost close to 40 out of my 80+ pounds doing this before I found the MFP forums. It worked for me so I stuck with it.

Over 5 years later I'm still tracking this way and it helps me with maintaining my weight.

I've made some amazing friends here along the way so I never left.

rsclause

I stopped counting when I felt that I was re-trained on proper portions and food choices. The problem now is I have gradually increased the amount of alcohol I have been drinking. My weight increase reflects this and I am getting ready to make some changes. My goal is to drop about 15 pounds in the next forty days. I'll drink to that!

OliveGirl128

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

If I wasn't counting calories, I wouldn't be wasting my time on a calorie counting website...

The tracking area is only one aspect of this site. There's lots of people who hang out on MFP who don't track their calorie intake here. Besides the tracking area, MFP has the most active fitness/weight management forum I've found, which features a very large, diverse community of people who are achieving their weight and non-weight goals in all sorts of ways. The experiences of the forum members is a really valuable tool, especially the insight from the long term maintainers.

I don't track here (I've been successfully maintaining for several years just by doing some mental math, along with daily weigh-ins), and I keep coming back for the forums.

Op, the important thing is to figure out what works for you and then run with it You can always adjust down the road if you find that what you're doing no longer works!

edit: grammar

laurenebargar

I do count calories, but I feel like now that ive been tracking for a few months, I know what to eat and how many calories are in etc. my view of portion sizes now and three months ago are completely different and I think counting calories really helped me with that. Once I get into maintenance Ill probably log for a few months and then try a month without logging and see what happens.

ritzvin

thickspo91 wrote: »

This time around I chose not to count calories and just make the best choices food wise. It has been a relief to see results without a disordered way of eating. Counting calories made me so obsessed with food (I know it's different for everyone). I feel so free without it. I went to the doctor the other day and all my blood work came back A ok, so I know this method is working for me.

Below a certain amount of calories, I think it would be very, very difficult to stay under maintenance without counting calories unless you bar high-density foods, restaurant food, alcohol, etc. Athletic males & really tall females can get away with this a bit easier (way more wiggle room due to higher BMR and higher burns on cardio), but I would have a very hard time unless I completely stayed away from restaurants or treats.

Christine_72

I'm going to eventually stop counting calories, possibly, maybe... But i cant ever see myself giving up my food scale, calorie creep is real and my eyes are so much bigger than my belly! I need that scale to keep me honest and aware.

cwolfman13

I haven't counted calories in over four years. I've more or less maintained during that time though I do put on a bit of weight every winter...I've never had any issue cutting it without counting. I'm currently at my typical maintenance weight and cutting a bit more and I'm having no issue doing so.

I'm mostly here for the *kitten* and giggles...

kokonani

I have been logging since using mfp, but I don't measure. I'm not trying to lose, just maintaining now and I feel that it can get pretty obsessive if I am always worrying about counting calories. I really do it mainly for my macros. I think counting is not important as long as you know your portions.

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amandaeve

@thickspo91 Thank you so much for posting this! I've been fighting this internal struggle these last few weeks. I've realized counting and tracking takes a lot of time and enjoyment out of the day and yet, it hasn't helped me move toward my goals one bit. Being accountable and knowledgeable about every calorie does nothing to keep me from eating it. I know what's in my food and would be better served by focusing the emotional issues attached to eating. Still...I've counted for so long..I feel rebellious and irresponsible not counting and am having a hard time letting go.

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sijomial

I logged fairly accurately (well consistently really..) when I lost my weight but I turned into a lazy logger (measured high calorie items only and did a lot of estimating) and finally gave up counting.
All three methods work with a bit of common sense.

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